The WBC is Truly March Madness

Coming up next month, Major League Baseball will once again help to bring us the 2013 World Baseball Classic. A tournament that is trying it’s best to replicate the best of what the Olympics or World Cup of Soccer bring us every four years.

The Mets, who were well represented in the 2009 version, will have their best player, David Wright represent the United States at the event this year. Although Johan Santana would love to represent Venezuela, I don’t think the Mets, who can veto that move, will allow it to happen. If they did, the Mets would be Feeling lucky to bet on march madness aka the WBC once again.

Other players could be joining Wright in the WBC on other teams that have qualified for the tournament but that still remains to be seen.

I think that one of the reasons, and this hasn’t be proven to be an absolute fact, the Mets had injury issues in 2009 was in part because of the WBC.

Players like Jose Reyes, Carlos Delgado, and J.J. Putz all suffered season ending injuries early in that year. For Reyes, it was his Hamstring, Delgado it was his hip and Putz it was his elbow that gave him trouble. They all played in the WBC in 2009.

With David Wright getting a brand new contract this off-season and expected to be the best player on the team this season, it seems risky to have him play meaningful baseball when most are still going through the motions in March.

Normally we only have March Madness in college basketball but thanks to Bud Selig and MLB, we have another version, except this one is not really that much fun.